We’ll see what happens with Kyrie Irving, we’ll see how things go when there’s chemistry examwhat happens in the summer with his new contract, how focused is he staying in track things. And it will be seen priori already tonight and against the same rival (double in Sacramento in 24 hours), how Kyrie and Luka Doncic begin to blendwhich was reserved as a precaution in the first duel of the mini series against the Kings. I do not care: 114-122 for some Mavs who are in a moment of perfect grace. If it lasts, they’ll make the playoffs as one of the contenders to travel to the Finals from the West. That is your goal.
After seven losses in the first seven games in which Doncic did not play, heThe Mavs have won three in a row without him. The last two, of course, already with Kyrieon tour in California (Clippers, Kings) and without being behind on the scoreboard for a single second. No, Kyrie still doesn’t know what it’s like to be at a disadvantage, not even because of an anecdotal opening basket, with the jersey of some Mavs who go out to games boiling, with the accelerator stepped on to the full. In the last five (four victories) they have signed first quarters of 40, 41 and 45 points. Against the Kings, a 25-45 that in essence sealed a brilliant victory, especially in a first part (advantages of up to 24 points and 56-74 total) that was a symphony: 23 assists, his top points this season at halftime, almost 53% shooting and 48% (12/25 from triples).
The Kings, who have gotten into the habit of going from less to more and who tend to start very cold on defense, were shaken mercilessly while, perhaps, wondering what could happen a day later when all that was falling on them was added, no less, Luka Doncic. But later, and although his attempts in the third quarter were unsuccessful (82-101 at minute 35), Mike Brown’s men were proud: 96-104 with more than six minutes to go, 100-107 with almost five to go. A tickling comeback, a little bit of spice that died with two triples from two specialists who are there for that, Tim Hardaway Jr and Reggie Bullock. The victory, from that 100-110, was no longer in danger.
The list of good news for the Mavs, who moved the ball in format deluxe and they distributed 34 assists (for 43 baskets) for only 9 turnovers, it’s endless but it starts, of course, with Kyrie: 25 points, 10 assists and 12/12 in free throws which is a tremendous safety valve for a team that for the last two seasons has looked in horror at the personnel line.
With Maxi Kleber about to return, the inside game is adding (or so it seems) to a JaVale McGee who seems resurrected with the presence of Kyrie when he seemed lost for the cause. Christian Wood also had a thunderous appearance with 13 points in less than five minutes of the extraordinary first quarter that he signed a team that is also finding what it wanted to draft when it chose Australian Josh Green in 2020: 17 points, 7 assists. He rookies Jaden Hardy (12 points) emerges as a viable rotation option… and Luka Doncic returns tonight for a team that is 31-26, fourth in the West and with the option of leaving the weekend in the neck of the Kings, the third ranked. And that he takes advantage of punctures (tonight Clippers, Pelicans…) to settle in the home court zone, waiting to see how good the Suns are when Kevin Durant debuts. We imagine that very good.
The Kings (31-24) have the advantage (if they take advantage of it…) that in the NBA nothing lasts too long: Tonight they repeat the game against the same rival and with the obligation to, it’s easy, play much better. Defend from the start, attack with more cohesion. Do the basic things. De’Aaron Fox finished with 33 points and 5 assists, Domantas Sabonis with 18, 7 and 11 rebounds and Keegan Murray with 4/5 on 3-pointers and 16 points. Today, revenge… or nightmare, because in Sacramento they will play together for the first time, if nothing very strange happens, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Maximum expectation.
40 Harrison Barnes |
8 Matthew Dellavedova |
25 Alex Len |
22 Richaun Holmes |
41 trey lyles |
10 Domantas Sabonis |
5 De’Aaron Fox |
0 Malik Monk |
9 kevin huerter |
7 Chimezie Metu |
3 Terence Davis |
fifteen David Mitchell |
13 keegan murray |
23 Keon Ellis |
17 Kessler Edwards |
Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 Harrison Barnes | 31 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 2/4 | 1/5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
8 Matthew Dellavedova | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
25 Alex Len | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
22 Richaun Holmes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
41 trey lyles | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
10 Domantas Sabonis | 37 | 18 | eleven | 3 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6/7 | 11/6 | 0/1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
5 De’Aaron Fox | 38 | 33 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12/14 | 9/11 | 1/5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
0 Malik Monk | fifteen | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2/2 | 3/5 | 0/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
9 kevin huerter | 27 | fifteen | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3/4 | 6/7 | 0/3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
7 Chimezie Metu | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3/4 | 2/2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
3 Terence Davis | twenty | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 3/4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
fifteen David Mitchell | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
13 keegan murray | 35 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0/0 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
23 Keon Ellis | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
17 Kessler Edwards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
7 Dwight Powell |
eleven Tim Hardaway Jr. |
0 JaVale McGee |
25 Reggie Bullock |
35 Christian Wood |
twenty-one Frank Ntilikina |
1 Theo Pinson |
8 Josh Green |
23 McKinley Wright II |
9 A. J. Lawson |
3 Jaden Hardy |
2 Kyrie Irving |
13 markieff morris |
30 chris silva |
Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 Dwight Powell | fifteen | 9 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 4/4 | 0/0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
eleven Tim Hardaway Jr. | 35 | fifteen | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 3/6 | 3/10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
0 JaVale McGee | 18 | eleven | 9 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 5/9 | 0/0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
25 Reggie Bullock | 36 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 3/5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
35 Christian Wood | 12 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/1 | 3/8 | 2/4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
twenty-one Frank Ntilikina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1 Theo Pinson | fifteen | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0/3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
8 Josh Green | 37 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 5/6 | 2/6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
23 McKinley Wright II | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
9 A. J. Lawson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
3 Jaden Hardy | 19 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/2 | 4/5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2 Kyrie Irving | 35 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12/12 | 2/6 | 3/8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
13 markieff morris | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
30 chris silva | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |